Rematch encourages Jon Rahm at the start of the Ryder Cup in Rome
Jon Rahm will open the Ryder Cup today with the intention of revenge after the European defeat in the last edition. The Spaniard will be paired with the Englishman Tyrrel Hatton in the first foursome match (alternating strokes) at 7.35 in the morning on the impressive first tee of the Marco Simone, which recreates the Colosseum in Rome. About 5,000 people will be in the stands from the first hour. The Europeans will face the Scottie Scheffler-Sam Burns couple. Scheffler (number one in the world) already beat Rahm in the only match in which the Spaniard lost in the last edition of the Ryder Cup, in the singles format.
In the second match of the day, the Americans Max Homa and Brian Harman will face one of the couples hidden by Luke Donald: the Norwegian Viktor Hovalnd (in yesterday's practice session he made an albatross, hole in one on a par 4) and the Swede Ludving Aberg, the first golfer in history to play a Ryder without having played a major. The third match will pit Ricky Fowler and Colin Morikawa against Sepp Straka and Shane Lowry. The foursomes will be closed by the classic American couple, made up of Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantley, who will face Rory Mcllroy and Tommy Fleetwood.
Before the debut, the European team came together. “You should be able to see the locker room,” stressed Jon Rahm.. And the European team room is overwhelming. On one of the walls the blue polo shirts of the players with their names appear. They have also recovered the white polo that Severiano Ballesteros wore the last time he played the Ryder Cup. “Seve is part of the essence of the Ryder Cup,” says the Spaniard.
What will the Ryder Cup have to make Jon Rahm say that he would pay to play it, or that Novak Djokovic is as excited as a child to witness the matches live? “The Ryder Cup has been my best sporting experience,” said Pep Guardiola after attending the 2012 edition, in Medinah.
Since 1979, Europe has won 10 Ryders. The Americans, nine. Continental dominance extends to nine in the last 11 competitions, but the last defeat stings, in Whistling Straits, in 2021, where the US defeated 19 to 9. That was the biggest beating of the modern era of the competition. “Revenge is the first thing on everyone's mind, it's one thing to lose and another to do it like we did,” says Jon Rahm.
Europe will notice the losses of Ian Poulter and Sergio García. However, Rory Mcllroy downplays its relevance: “They are the ones who are really going to miss Ryder”. The only LIV player will be the American Brooks Koepka, absent in the initial matches.
An issue that has surprised everyone has been the high temperature. It is expected that 30º degrees will be reached and that could be decisive in the game if we take into account the hardness of the course's slopes, especially on the second nine holes.. The Ryder is very demanding, since 36 holes are played daily. From the North American side they are worried because they have not brought any additional caddy. In Europe there are up to four reservations, so it could happen during the intense weekend.